Face seal having elastomeric ring with surface shape for improved sealing

Abstract

A face seal assembly includes a pair of identical metal and elastomeric rings. The metal rings are biased towards one another by the elastomeric rings when the face seal assembly is installed. The metal rings each have lapped surfaces that abut one another to create a sealing arrangement. An outside side of each elastomer ring is divided by a second inner diameter surface definingly separating a metal ring engagement side from an environmentally exposed side. The environmentally exposed side of each elastomeric ring has an annularly-shaped concave valley formed in the elastomeric ring, which is facing the concave valley of its oppositely disposed respective elastomeric ring. The concave valley starts from a first annular lip and extends to a maximum offset distance at an annular bottom of the concave valley and ends at a second annular lip. The second annular lip is disposed further back from the first annular lip.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A face seal assembly, comprising:
 a pair of metal rings, where each metal ring of the pair of metal rings are identical; and   a pair of elastomeric rings, where each elastomeric ring of the pair of elastomeric rings are identical;   wherein the pair of metal rings and the pair of elastomeric rings are configured to be disposed about a common axis of rotation;   wherein one of the metal rings of the pair of metal rings is disposed directly opposite of the other metal ring and are abutting one another in a sealing arrangement;   wherein one of the elastomeric rings of the pair of elastomeric rings is attached to one of the metal rings of the pair of elastomeric rings, and the other elastomer ring is attached to the other metal ring;   wherein a cross section taken through and aligned with the common axis of rotation slices the pair of metal rings and the pair of elastomeric rings respectively defining a metal ring cross section and an elastomeric ring cross section;   wherein the metal ring cross section is L-shaped having a first section extending perpendicularly from a second section, wherein the first section extends away from the common axis of rotation and the second section extends along the common axis of rotation, wherein the L-shaped metal ring cross section defines an inner corner between the first and second sections;   wherein the pair of metal rings are configured to be biased towards one another by the pair of elastomeric rings when the face seal assembly is in an installed state;   wherein each first section of the pair of metal rings comprises a lapped surface configured to abut one another in the sealing arrangement;   wherein the elastomeric ring cross section defines an outer diameter surface opposite an inner diameter surface disposed between an outside side opposite an inside side, wherein an inner corner of the elastomeric ring connects the outside side and the inner diameter surface and an outside corner connects the outer diameter surface and the inside side;   wherein the outside side of the elastomer ring is divided by a second inner diameter surface definingly separating a metal ring engagement side from an environmentally exposed side; and   wherein the environmentally exposed side comprises an annularly-shaped concave valley formed in the elastomeric ring, which is facing the annularly-shaped concave valley of its oppositely disposed respective elastomeric ring of the pair of elastomeric rings of the face seal assembly.   
     
     
         2 . The face seal assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the annularly-shaped concave valley starts from a first annular lip and extends to a maximum offset distance at an annular bottom of the annularly-shaped concave valley and ends at a second annular lip, wherein the maximum offset distance is measured parallel to the common axis of rotation. 
     
     
         3 . The face seal assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the second annular lip is disposed further back from the first annular lip in relation to a distance parallel to the common axis of rotation. 
     
     
         4 . The face seal assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the first annular lip ends in a first annular flat section. 
     
     
         5 . The face seal assembly of  claim 4 , wherein the second annular lip ends in a second annular flat section. 
     
     
         6 . The face seal assembly of  claim 5 , wherein the face seal assembly is configured to be disposed between a first housing part and a second housing part, wherein one of the housing parts rotates about the common axis of rotation in relation to the other housing part, wherein one of the elastomeric rings is configured to engage and attach to the first housing part and the other elastomeric ring is configured to engage and attach to the second housing part. 
     
     
         7 . The face seal assembly of  claim 6 , wherein the first annular flat section is frustoconically-shaped in an uninstalled state and is perpendicularly disposed in relation to the common axis of rotation when installed in its respective first or second housing parts in the installed state. 
     
     
         8 . The face seal assembly of  claim 7 , wherein the second annular flat section is frustoconically-shaped in the uninstalled state and is perpendicularly disposed in relation to the common axis of rotation when installed in its respective first or second housing parts in the installed state. 
     
     
         9 . The face seal assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the inner corner of each elastomeric ring of the pair of elastomeric rings is configured to be disposed at the inner corner of its respective metal ring of the pair of metal rings. 
     
     
         10 . The face seal assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the metal ring engagement side of each elastomeric ring is configured to at least partially abut the outside side of the first section of its respective metal ring. 
     
     
         11 . The face seal assembly of  claim 1 , wherein each metal ring of the pair of metal rings comprises: an outer diameter surface of the first section; an outer diameter surface of the second section that is smaller in diameter in comparison to the outer diameter surface of the first section; an inside side of the first section opposite an outside side of the first section and an outside side of the second section, where the outside side of the second section extends outwardly beyond the outside side of the first section; and an inner diameter side of the second side that is opposite the outer diameter surface of the first section and the outer diameter surface of the second section. 
     
     
         12 . The face seal assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the second inner diameter surface of the elastomeric ring is configured to at least partially abut the outer diameter surface of the first section of the metal ring of the face seal assembly. 
     
     
         13 . The face seal assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the inner corner of the metal ring connects the outside side of the first section to the outer diameter surface of the second section. 
     
     
         14 . The face seal assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the lapped surface is part of the inside side of the first section. 
     
     
         15 . The face seal assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the elastomeric ring is free of pockets or hollowed out portions disposed behind the annularly-shaped concave valley. 
     
     
         16 . A face seal assembly, comprising:
 a pair of metal rings, where each metal ring of the pair of metal rings are identical; and   a pair of elastomeric rings, where each elastomeric ring of the pair of elastomeric rings are identical;   wherein the pair of metal rings and the pair of elastomeric rings are configured to be disposed about a common axis of rotation;   wherein one of the metal rings of the pair of metal rings is disposed directly opposite of the other metal ring and are abutting one another in a sealing arrangement;   wherein one of the elastomeric rings of the pair of elastomeric rings is attached to one of the metal rings of the pair of elastomeric rings, and the other elastomer ring is attached to the other metal ring;   wherein a cross section taken through and aligned with the common axis of rotation slices the pair of metal rings and the pair of elastomeric rings respectively defining a metal ring cross section and an elastomeric ring cross section;   wherein the metal ring cross section is L-shaped having a first section extending perpendicularly from a second section, wherein the first section extends away from the common axis of rotation and the second section extends along the common axis of rotation, wherein the L-shaped metal ring cross section defines an inner corner between the first and second sections;   wherein the pair of metal rings are configured to be biased towards one another by the pair of elastomeric rings when the face seal assembly is in an installed state;   wherein each first section of the pair of metal rings comprises a lapped surface configured to abut one another in the sealing arrangement;   wherein the elastomeric ring cross section defines an outer diameter surface opposite an inner diameter surface disposed between an outside side opposite an inside side, wherein an inner corner of the elastomeric ring connects the outside side and the inner diameter surface and an outside corner connects the outer diameter surface and the inside side;   wherein the outside side of the elastomer ring is divided by a second inner diameter surface definingly separating a metal ring engagement side from an environmentally exposed side;   wherein the second inner diameter surface of the elastomeric ring is configured to at least partially abut an outer diameter surface of the first section of the metal ring of the face seal assembly;   wherein the environmentally exposed side comprises an annularly-shaped concave valley formed in the elastomeric ring, which is facing the annularly-shaped concave valley of its oppositely disposed respective elastomeric ring of the pair of elastomeric rings of the face seal assembly; and   wherein the elastomeric ring is free of pockets or hollowed out portions disposed behind the annularly-shaped concave valley.   
     
     
         17 . The face seal assembly of  claim 16 , wherein the inner corner of each elastomeric ring of the pair of elastomeric rings is configured to be disposed at the inner corner of its respective metal ring of the pair of metal rings, and wherein the metal ring engagement side of each elastomeric ring is configured to at least partially abut the outside side of the first section of its respective metal ring. 
     
     
         18 . A face seal assembly, comprising:
 a pair of metal rings, where each metal ring of the pair of metal rings are identical; and   a pair of elastomeric rings, where each elastomeric ring of the pair of elastomeric rings are identical;   wherein the pair of metal rings and the pair of elastomeric rings are configured to be disposed about a common axis of rotation;   wherein one of the metal rings of the pair of metal rings is disposed directly opposite of the other metal ring and are abutting one another in a sealing arrangement;   wherein one of the elastomeric rings of the pair of elastomeric rings is attached to one of the metal rings of the pair of elastomeric rings, and the other elastomer ring is attached to the other metal ring;   wherein a cross section taken through and aligned with the common axis of rotation slices the pair of metal rings and the pair of elastomeric rings respectively defining a metal ring cross section and an elastomeric ring cross section;   wherein the metal ring cross section is L-shaped having a first section extending perpendicularly from a second section, wherein the first section extends away from the common axis of rotation and the second section extends along the common axis of rotation, wherein the L-shaped metal ring cross section defines an inner corner between the first and second sections;   wherein the pair of metal rings are configured to be biased towards one another by the pair of elastomeric rings when the face seal assembly is in an installed state;   wherein each first section of the pair of metal rings comprises a lapped surface configured to abut one another in the sealing arrangement;   wherein the elastomeric ring cross section defines an outer diameter surface opposite an inner diameter surface disposed between an outside side opposite an inside side, wherein an inner corner of the elastomeric ring connects the outside side and the inner diameter surface and an outside corner connects the outer diameter surface and the inside side;   wherein the outside side of the elastomer ring is divided by a second inner diameter surface definingly separating a metal ring engagement side from an environmentally exposed side;   wherein the environmentally exposed side comprises an annularly-shaped concave valley formed in the elastomeric ring, which is facing the annularly-shaped concave valley of its oppositely disposed respective elastomeric ring of the pair of elastomeric rings of the face seal assembly;   wherein the annularly-shaped concave valley starts from a first annular lip and extends to a maximum offset distance at an annular bottom of the annularly-shaped concave valley and ends at a second annular lip, wherein the maximum offset distance is measured parallel to the common axis of rotation;   wherein the second annular lip is disposed further back from the first annular lip in relation to a distance parallel to the common axis of rotation;   wherein the first annular lip ends in a first annular flat section; and   wherein the second annular lip ends in a second annular flat section.   
     
     
         19 . The face seal assembly of  claim 18 , wherein the face seal assembly is configured to be disposed between a first housing part and a second housing part, wherein one of the housing parts rotates about the common axis of rotation in relation to the other housing part, wherein one of the elastomeric rings is configured to engage and attach to the first housing part and the other elastomeric ring is configured to engage and attach to the second housing part. 
     
     
         20 . The face seal assembly of  claim 19 , wherein the first annular flat section is frustoconically-shaped in an uninstalled state and is perpendicularly disposed in relation to the common axis of rotation when installed in its respective first or second housing parts in the installed state, and wherein the second annular flat section is frustoconically-shaped in the uninstalled state and is perpendicularly disposed in relation to the common axis of rotation when installed in its respective first or second housing parts in the installed state.